Parents in a Rhode Island community are upset about the school district’s new lunch policy. Students who have balances on their accounts will receive a sunflower butter and jelly sandwich until they are paid.

Warwick Public Schools notified parents earlier this month that the policy will go into effect on May 13. In a statement on Facebook, the district advised parents:

“Effective Monday, May 13, 2019, if money is owed on a paid, free, or reduced lunch account a sun butter and jelly sandwich will be given as the lunch choice until the balance owed is paid in full or a payment plan is set up through the food service office.”

NBC reports that nearly 70% of Warwick’s 9,000 students receive free or reduced lunch. Those kids can rack up extra costs when they grab something that is not covered under the free lunch program – like milk.

In response to the policy change, some have commented that it shames children for being poor or for their parents’ lack of handling the debt. Many are concerned that a sun butter-jelly sandwich won’t meet the nutritional needs of children.

A donor attempted to drop off $4,000 raised at her restaurant to pay off some of the accounts, but the school district refused the offer based on the grounds that they didn’t have a system in place to fairly distribute the money.

As it stands, parents are still on the hook for the debts, but a lot of people are wondering if the policy is fair when children are hungry, and food sometimes goes to waste at the end of the day. To date, Warwick Public Schools has not responded to the backlash.